Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction

Abstract Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) is a novel sample-preparation technique offering high enrichment factors from low volumes of water samples. It has found wide acceptance because of several advantages, including simplicity, low cost and ease of method development, which made it available to virtually all analytical laboratories. This review focuses on improvements made in DLLME since its introduction in 2006. We present use of DLLME with simultaneous derivatization of analytes and connection of DLLME to other sample-preparation techniques. We also describe exchange of toxic chlorinated solvents with low toxic hydrocarbons, alcohols and ionic liquids. We include application of DLLME to pre-concentration of metal ions and many more modifications of this newly developed technique. We briefly describe different applications of DLLME to several groups of analytes, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, phenols and other compounds, and, finally, we predict some future trends.